Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assist small- and medium-sized businesses to meet the costs of providing modern apprenticeships.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive already does so through the block grant-in-aid allocation to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Bridges

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any further meetings with Angus Council to discuss the funding of the replacement for the Montrose Bridge over the River South Esk and, if so, what the outcomes of the meetings were.

Mr Andy Kerr: I last met with Angus Council representatives in October 2002. Angus Council has received additional capital consent of £2.8 million in 2001-02 and £1.4 million this year towards the cost of replacing the Montrose Bridge.

Central Heating

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the targets are for installations under its Central Heating Installation Programme in the (a) Hamilton North and Bellshill and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency for (i) all households and (ii) pensioners’ homes.

Des McNulty: The targets are that any local authority stock in the area which currently lacks central heating should have it by 31 March 2004. Any housing association stock which currently lacks central heating should have it during March 2004. Owner-occupiers and private renters who are eligible for the programme should receive it by 31 March 2006 at the latest.

Children with Disabilities

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to outdoor play facilities for children with disabilities.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to develop outdoor play facilities for children with disabilities.

Cathy Jamieson: Under the Childcare Strategy, the Scottish Executive allocated £16.5 million to local authorities in the financial year 2002-03 to allow them to expand, develop and sustain accessible, affordable, quality child care, including outdoor play provision in child care settings. Over the period of the Scottish Budget 2003-06, funding for the Childcare Strategy will increase and will reach £40.65 million for the year 2005-06. Local allocations of these resources are the responsibility of local authorities.

  As part of the Local Government Settlement, £180 million of Quality of Life funding has been allocated to local authorities over the next three years. The broad policy theme of Increasing Opportunities for Children & Young People allows scope for a wide range of local initiatives that will respond to local needs and priorities, including the development of outdoor play facilities for children with disabilities.

  This is in addition to the extra £95 million allocated to local authorities this year to encourage children and young people to make healthy lifestyle choices and to improve the local environment. As part of this initiative, £7.75 million was allocated to the improvement of organised play and play areas and to the promotion of outdoor recreation.

  Councils' budgeted spend on Special Education this year from Scottish Executive grant and council tax is £260 million, an increase of 5.5% over last year. Local authorities have discretion to allocate money to support outdoor play facilities for children with disabilities.

  The Executive has also allocated £600,000 to sportscotland to set up a dowry for Scottish Disability Sport. This dowry will allow Scottish Disability Sport to provide specialist support to ensure that the needs of children and young people with special needs are addressed as the Active Primary Schools Programme is rolled out. One of the four areas covered by the programme is children’s play (as well as active travel, PE and sport).

Children with Disabilities

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration the Physical Activity Task Force has given to outdoor play facilities for children with disabilities.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Physical Activity Task Force (PATF) recommended that all children, including those with disabilities, should have the opportunity to be physically active in their home, educational establishments and community. The task force formulated their recommendations having reviewed research and identified good practice on a worldwide basis.

  The PATF recognised play as an important element of physical activity, accounting for the greatest proportion of children and young people’s physical activity pursuits. Membership of the PATF reflected a wide range of expertise and among those represented were play organisations, disabled groups, child health specialists and local authorities.

  The PATF proposed the development of policies and resources to support four broad strategic objectives, one of which involves providing supportive physical environments to enable inactive people to become active. All of these objectives will be taken into account in the development of the four implementation plans, Active Homes, Active Schools, Active Communities and Active Workplaces.

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions were obtained in 2001 under sections (a) 47, (b) 48(2), (c) 49, (d) 49A and (e) 50(4) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, broken down by sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: In 2001, there were two, zero and four persons respectively with a charge proved where the main offence was under section 48(2), section 49A and section 50(4) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation)(Scotland) Act 1995. The numbers of persons with a charge proved under sections 47 and 49 of the 1995 act are given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved Under Sections 47 and 49 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 19951, 2001

  


Court 
  

Section 47 
  

Section 49 
  



All courts2


1,425 
  

1,270 
  



Sheriff Courts 
  



Aberdeen 
  

39 
  

23 
  



Airdrie 
  

34 
  

25 
  



Alloa 
  

4 
  

5 
  



Arbroath 
  

11 
  

5 
  



Ayr 
  

29 
  

21 
  



Banff 
  

2 
  

1 
  



Campbeltown 
  

0 
  

3 
  



Cupar 
  

12 
  

2 
  



Dingwall 
  

0 
  

1 
  



Dumbarton 
  

33 
  

38 
  



Dumfries 
  

14 
  

9 
  



Dundee 
  

48 
  

38 
  



Dunfermline 
  

6 
  

6 
  



Dunoon 
  

1 
  

5 
  



Duns 
  

2 
  

1 
  



Edinburgh 
  

88 
  

88 
  



Elgin 
  

10 
  

7 
  



Falkirk 
  

23 
  

17 
  



Forfar 
  

3 
  

5 
  



Fort William 
  

2 
  

3 
  



Glasgow 
  

602 
  

529 
  



Greenock 
  

41 
  

43 
  



Haddington 
  

14 
  

8 
  



Hamilton 
  

128 
  

108 
  



Inverness 
  

14 
  

5 
  



Jedburgh 
  

6 
  

6 
  



Kilmarnock 
  

53 
  

63 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

24 
  

22 
  



Kirkcudbright 
  

0 
  

2 
  



Kirkwall 
  

2 
  

2 
  



Lanark 
  

16 
  

15 
  



Lerwick 
  

0 
  

1 
  



Linlithgow 
  

25 
  

14 
  



Lochmaddy 
  

0 
  

1 
  



Oban 
  

0 
  

1 
  



Paisley 
  

55 
  

78 
  



Peebles 
  

2 
  

0 
  



Perth 
  

15 
  

12 
  



Peterhead 
  

10 
  

4 
  



Rothesay 
  

2 
  

7 
  



Selkirk 
  

9 
  

5 
  



Stirling 
  

10 
  

11 
  



Stonehaven 
  

6 
  

1 
  



Stornoway 
  

2 
  

0 
  



Stranraer 
  

5 
  

2 
  



Tain 
  

2 
  

1 
  



Wick 
  

4 
  

3 
  



District Courts 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

0 
  

2 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

2 
  

9 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

0 
  

2 
  



Dundee City 
  

1 
  

0 
  



East Lothian 
  

2 
  

2 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

0 
  

2 
  



Fife 
  

2 
  

0 
  



Glasgow City3


1 
  

3 
  



Highland 
  

3 
  

0 
  



Moray 
  

1 
  

0 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

2 
  

0 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

0 
  

1 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

1 
  

0 
  



West Lothian 
  

1 
  

0 
  



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes a small number of cases dealt with in the High Court.

  3. Includes stipendiary magistrates court.

Culture

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has made available to support the inclusion of Scottish traditional music at the Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Festival in Washington in June 2003.

Mike Watson: The Executive has contributed £250,000 towards the creation and running of a complete Scottish programme at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2003. Additionally, VisitScotland and the Scottish Arts Council each contributed £50,000 for this purpose. Traditional music features prominently.

Dentistry

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the provision of adequate dental services in Skye.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: NHS Highland is considering a number of options to further increase access to NHS dental services in Skye.

Dentistry

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether enough dentists are qualifying following the closure of the Edinburgh Dental School.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Our workforce estimates of 120 graduates per year would be sufficient for Scotland, if we retained all our graduates in Scotland. Given the current recruitment and retention difficulties in some parts of Scotland, highlighted by a number of MSPs, we introduced incentives for graduates to stay in Scotland and we will continue to review workforce estimates for dental graduates.

Digital Technology

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote the use of broadband services in both the public and private sectors.

Iain Gray: I published our broadband strategy update last December. It details the steps we are taking to promote broadband throughout Scotland in both public and private sectors. We are also pursuing a new initiative, worth up to £24 million, which aims to accelerate and extend broadband access across Scotland. As part of this initiative the First Minister announced earlier this week that a further six exchanges in the Highlands are to be upgraded to provide ADSL services this summer.

Doctors

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31477 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 11 December 2002, whether it will now give information on the destination of graduates from medical schools for 2002.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information on the destinations of graduates from Scottish medical schools for 2002 is available in the table.

  


Taking up PRHO posts in: 
  

Aberdeen 
  

Dundee 
  

Edinburgh 
  

Glasgow 
  

All 
  



Scotland 
  

147 
  

117 
  

219 
  

265 
  

748 
  



England and Wales 
  

10 
  

8 
  

8 
  

6 
  

32 
  



Northern Ireland 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  

4 
  



HM Forces 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Abroad 
  

1 
  

2 
  

0 
  

2 
  

5 
  



Not Known 
  

0 
  

1 
  

9 
  

2 
  

12 
  



Total 
  

160 
  

129 
  

237 
  

275 
  

801

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided to schools to deal with drug and alcohol problems of pupils.

Cathy Jamieson: All of the recommendations from the  Final Report of the School Drug Safety Team , published in January 2001 are being implemented. £3 million over the three years from 2001-02 is being provided to support this. The recommendations cover all aspects of drug education in schools impacting on the curriculum, management and co-ordination within schools, quality assurance, teacher education and multi-agency training.

  Guidelines for the Management of Incidents of Drugs Misuse was issued to all schools in June 2000. These guidelines contain clear advice on the procedures which should be in place within school, not only to deal with any incidents but also for protecting the welfare of the young person after an incident. All schools are expected to have policies and procedures in place in line with this national advice by the end of academic year 2002-03.

  The funding of £3 million includes £900,000 over 2002-03 and 2003-04 on drug-related training for teachers being provided by Scotland Against Drugs and the Scottish Training Agency for Drug and Alcohol.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual budget for HM Inspectorate of Education is for 2003-04.

Cathy Jamieson: The Budget (Scotland) (No. 4) Bill includes a cash budget for HM Inspectorate of Education for 2003-04 of £8.2 million.

Employment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase awareness of age discrimination legislation to be in place by 2006.

Des McNulty: Equal opportunities and employment legislation are reserved areas. The Scottish Executive, working with the Department for Work and Pensions, has produced a booklet "Are you over 50?" which provides a practical guide to advice, support and services across government. The booklet, which is being widely distributed, includes a section on current and future action to tackle age discrimination in employment.

  The Scottish Executive also endorses the Department of Work and Pensions’ Age Positive campaign and its voluntary Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, of which an updated version was launched in Scotland by Iain Gray in December 2002.

  The Executive, the Scotland Office and the Department of Trade and Industry jointly held a consultation seminar in Edinburgh on 30 January 2003 to discuss the way forward in planning for legislation coming into force in 2006. Age equality organisations were present at this seminar.

Employment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to widen access to training among older workers.

Iain Gray: A range of actions is under way. Since lifting the age barrier on the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) scheme, there are now over 5,000 adult employees aged 25 and over taking part in training. Furthermore, learndirect scotland is working in partnership to assist employers in small- and medium-sized enterprises identify the training needs of employees of all ages and link them with suitable training packages. Older workers are also being targeted by specific projects being funded through the Scottish Union Learning Fund and the Scottish Skills Fund. Careers Scotland, launched in April 2002, offers a free information, advice and guidance service to people of all ages looking to access education, employment and training opportunities.

Employment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote age diversity across the workforce.

Des McNulty: Equal opportunities and employment legislation are reserved areas. The Scottish Executive endorses the Department of Work and Pensions’ Age Positive campaign and its voluntary Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, of which an updated version was launched in Scotland by Iain Gray in December 2002.

  Also, the Scottish Executive has produced a booklet "Are you over 50?" which provides a practical guide to advice, support and services across government. The booklet, which is being widely distributed, includes a section on current and future action to tackle age discrimination in employment.

  Learndirect Scotland, in partnership with Age Concern, are delivering skill enhancing courses for older people at various venues across Scotland.

  The Scottish Executive actively encourages people from all ages and backgrounds to volunteer and either become or remain active in their communities. This year we have allocated more than £2 million to the Active Communities Initiative to support a range of volunteering projects, most of which involve volunteering by older people.

Enterprise

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will maintain the level of spending on the promotion of enterprise.

Iain Gray: Building a Better Scotland , published last September following the conclusion of the spending review, announced that funding for the Enterprise Networks for the three-year period 2003-04 to 2005-06 would be £538 million, £546 million and £546.5 million.

Equal Pay

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has done on the effectiveness of the Close the Gap campaign on equal pay.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Close the Gap Campaign was launched in March 2001 and will run until at least 2005. The work of the Close the Gap Development Partnership, which is the main part of the Close the Gap campaign, will be monitored and evaluated.

Firearms

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its guns amnesty will not prevent the police following up unsolved crimes.

Mr Jim Wallace: The terms of this amnesty will not affect the discretion of the police to report persons to the procurator fiscal nor that of the procurator fiscal to take proceedings where there is evidence that a particular weapon has been used in the commission of a crime.

Fisheries

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing vessels have been decommissioned in each year since decommissioning began and what the total tonnage and power is of these vessels.

Ross Finnie: The required information is set out in the table. Information is not available for any decommissioning schemes run prior to 1993.

  


Scheme
Year 
  

Total No. UK Vessels
Decommissioned 
  

No. Scottish Vessels
Decommissioned 
  

Gross Tonnage Removed 
  

Engine Power (kW) Removed 
  



1993 
  

135 
  

45 
  

4,755.35 GRT 
  

22,446 
  



1994 
  

162 
  

50 
  

5,269.83 GRT 
  

27,786 
  



1995 
  

139 
  

37 
  

4,206.24 GRT 
  

23,142 
  



1996 
  

142 
  

45 
  

3,380.95 GRT 
  

19,129.9 
  



1997 
  

104 
  

19 
  

4,215.09 GRT 
  

23,249 
  



2001 
  

157 
  

98 
  

17,453.10 GT* 
  

45,495.67** 
  



  Notes:

  *Tonnages removed by the 1993-97 and the 2001 schemes are not necessarily directly comparable.

  The method of measuring the tonnage of fishing vessels changed during the late 1990s following the phased introduction of tonnage measurements to standards agreed under the International Tonnage Convention of 1969 and implemented under EU Regulations.

  **Figure does not include vessels decommissioned under the Northern Irish scheme for which engine power data is not available.

Football

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure a better future for Scottish football.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive played a key role in developing plans and putting a funding package together to assist the development of football academies.

  We are contributing to the current Review of Youth Development. This review will make important recommendations designed to help Scottish football ensure a better future for itself.

  Also, since 1998 we have invested £1.1 million directly in women’s and girls’ football. Over the next few years we will continue to invest around £100,000 per annum.

Genetically Modified Crops

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the licensing of genetically modified crops for commercial use.

Ross Finnie: Decisions to authorise the commercial importation or cultivation of any GM crop will be taken by the EU member states collectively, working with the European Commission, in the context of Directive 2001/18. These decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the criteria set out in the directive. The Scottish Executive is consulted by the UK Government on all applications. The Executive’s views, which must be based on scientific evidence, are taken into account in the formulation of the UK’s position.

  The Executive considers that it would be premature to consent to applications in advance of the outcome of the GM public debate.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Argyll and Clyde NHS Board and what issues were discussed.

Malcolm Chisholm: I last met the interim management team of Argyll and Clyde NHS Board on 26 February when a wide range of issues were discussed.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role school nurses will have in new community schools.

Malcolm Chisholm: A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools was launched by Cathy Jamieson and myself on Monday 3 March in Prestonpans Primary School. This framework sets out clearly the future role that school nurses will play. The focus on:

  an assessment of the health needs of each school and the development of school health plans;

  working with schools, children and parents to address identified needs;

  promoting healthy lifestyles and health schools;

  supporting children with chronic and complex health needs, and

  supporting vulnerable children and young people.

  The framework will be implemented alongside the roll out of New Community Schools approach.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how additional costs of teaching funding is divided between each NHS acute hospital where teaching takes place.

Malcolm Chisholm: A total of £86.071 million was allocated in 2002-03 to the four Scottish teaching boards to meet the additional costs to the NHS of teaching being carried out in hospitals. It is for the four teaching boards to arrange for distribution of this funding to those hospitals carrying out teaching.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of teaching are carried out by each NHS acute hospital where teaching takes place.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients were treated in non-NHS institutions in each of the four most recent quarters.

Malcolm Chisholm: Reliable information on the number of NHS patients treated in non-NHS institutions is not available centrally. However, the Information and Statistics Division, part of the Common Services Agency in NHSScotland, are currently working with the Scottish Executive, NHS boards, trusts and the independent sector to improve data coverage and data quality.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the abolition of NHS trusts will (a) cost and (b) save, as referred to in chapter 7 of Partnership for Care: Scotland’s Health White Paper .

Malcolm Chisholm: When we set out our proposals in Partnership for Care  to dissolve the remaining NHS trusts, our primary objective was not to achieve financial savings, and nor have we identified any direct cost implications. Rather, changes to the governance of local NHS systems should be seen as part of our drive to develop integrated, decentralised health care services that devolve management authority to the front line of patient care.

  Nevertheless, by consolidating around 15 NHS boards with minimal structural change and disruption, unnecessary bureaucracy will be reduced, and resources will be freed up and redirected towards improved patient care.

  Specifically, the removal of the remaining trusts will support a whole-system approach to financial management, accountability and planning which maximises the return on additional investment, simplifying the way money flows in the local NHS system and allowing greater flexibility for financial planning over the longer term.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available for the new research strategy, as referred to in chapter 5 of Partnership for Care: Scotland’s Health White Paper .

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) will receive £47.5 million in 2003-04 to support research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The strategic direction of that research over the next five years, will be determined by CSO’s new research strategy, which is currently the subject of public consultation.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure an adequate supply of good quality social housing.

Des McNulty: We have enhanced the strategic planning role of local authorities by giving them responsibility for producing local housing strategies which will lead to a better analysis of the need for the provision and improvement of social housing across Scotland. Delivery against those needs will be assisted by the development programme of Communities Scotland (including resources which may transfer, in due course, to local authorities), the New Housing Partnership and Community Ownership programme and the housing programmes of local authorities operating, from 2004-05, within the prudential framework for capital expenditure.

  We have also announced that all social housing providers will, in due course, be required to ensure that their housing meets the proposed Scottish Social Housing Standard. This standard will set out the minimum quality standard that social landlords should be expected to provide.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any official or minister will attend the Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law in Brussels on 4 to 5 March 2003 which is discussing prevention and control of trafficking in human organs and, if so, what matters will be raised on the Executive’s behalf.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. The Scottish Executive was represented at the Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law in Brussels on 4 to 5 March 2003 by UKRep. Scottish Executive ministers and officials do attend working group and European Council meetings as necessary as part of our regular engagement with the European Union. The Executive’s views on devolved issues are taken fully into account in the development of the UK position for working groups and Councils, and Scottish Executive officials remain in close touch with Whitehall on this and other EU issues.

NHS Staff

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been set aside to encourage skilled professionals to return to the NHS, as referred to in chapter 6 of Partnership for Care: Scotland’s Health White Paper , and how much it will set aside in each of the next three years to encourage skilled professionals to return to the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is taking action to build capacity in NHSScotland. Return to Practice schemes are an important part of that and some examples are given:

  £2 million has been allocated to NHS boards, spread over 2002-03 and 2003-04 to fund Return to Practice for nurses and midwives who have taken a break from their careers. This should allow between 400 and 600 nurses and midwives to return to NHSScotland.

  £100,000 has been allocated for Return to Practice for the Allied Health Professions in the next financial year. Programmes to support this will need to be developed and funding will be reviewed thereafter.

  The on-going recruitment and retention package announced for dentistry includes the introduction of an enhanced "return to work" scheme under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative to encourage dentists who have taken career breaks to return to general dental practice and provide NHS dental services on a sessional basis. Under the previous scheme, a returning dentist could earn up to £2,000 for working up to 200 NHS sessions in the year following return, with an equivalent payment for the practice owner. The revised scheme will enable the returner and practice owner to earn up to £6,750 each where the returner works up to 450 sessions. The revised scheme is also open to dentists returning to NHS orthodontic practice.

NHS Waiting Lists

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact providing treatment in other NHS board areas to patients waiting the longest will have on local budgets for cross-boundary flow.

Malcolm Chisholm: A large number of NHS patients in Scotland already receive treatment in hospitals outside their NHS board areas of residence. Arrangements are already in place for the planning and funding of these out of area treatments. The number of out of area treatments undertaken as a result of NHS boards ensuring that waiting guarantees are met is expected to represent a relatively small addition to existing patient flows.

  Individual NHS boards receive funding to enable them to meet their responsibility for forecasting and meeting the health care needs of their residents, including arranging and paying for treatment in neighbouring NHS board areas.

  The key objective is that the longest waiting times experienced by NHS patients in Scotland are reduced to meet the Executive’s targets, as made clear in Partnership for Care published on 27 February.

Nursing

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which nursing agencies received a share of the £24,530,733 spent by the NHS on agency nurses in 2001-02, as shown in table E21 of the NHS workforce statistics produced by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Pharmacies

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reject the Office of Fair Trading’s recommendation to remove restrictions on entry to the community pharmacy market.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is currently considering the Office of Fair Trading's report in detail, having consulted widely with all key stakeholders, and plans to announce its decision as soon as possible.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how incidents of fighting as a breach of prison discipline are recorded for the performance indicators contained in paragraphs 2.2(a) and 2.2(b) of Schedule F to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock .

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how incidents of fighting as a breach of prison discipline are recorded in respect of the accrual of performance points under Schedule F to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock .

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Fights are regarded, for performance points purposes, as "assaults" with points being awarded according to the number of individuals found guilty of being participants and according to the severity of any injuries sustained. If it is proven that an individual’s actions have been limited to self defence, no points are awarded.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33537 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 February 2003, why it is unable to provide a record of offences of violence at HM Prison Kilmarnock reported to the procurator fiscal.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Because it is a matter for the police.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33537 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 February 2003, how many incidents of alleged (a) assault and (b) fighting have been dealt with in the orderly room at HM Prison Kilmarnock in each quarter since the prison opened.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Quarterly figures are not available. The numbers of charges laid in each year alleging such breaches of prison discipline are listed in the following table.

  

 

Assault 
  

Fighting 
  



Year One 
  

74 
  

45 
  



Year Two 
  

34 
  

40 
  



Year Three 
  

34 
  

54

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34139 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 February 2003, what the nature was of the incident of failure to comply with agreed reporting procedures at HM Prison Kilmarnock in quarter three of performance year four of the prison’s operation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  During a routine cell search a home made weapon was found. This was reported but not in accordance with the timescale laid down in SPS reporting procedures.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-25983 and S1W-32815 by Mr Jim Wallace on 29 May 2002 and Hugh Henry on 13 January 2003 respectively, whether any performance points have yet been accrued by the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock as a result of the stabbing of a prison custody officer on 15 May 2002 and, if so, for what quarter such points were accrued.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The incident is still subject to police procedures.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the quarterly baseline total, as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule F of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock , has been in each quarter since the opening of HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the following table.

  


Performance Year 
  

Performance Quarter 
  

Baseline 
  



Year 1 
  

1 
  

408 
  



2 
  

685 
  



3 
  

685 
  



4 
  

685 
  



Year 2 
  

1 
  

651 
  



2 
  

675 
  



3 
  

697 
  



4 
  

690 
  



Year 3 
  

1 
  

664 
  



2 
  

656 
  



3 
  

659 
  



4 
  

700 
  



Year 4 
  

1 
  

636 
  



2 
  

629 
  



3 
  

629

Public Sector Pay

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average percentage salary increases for local authority chief officers and manual workers will be in 2003-04.

Mr Andy Kerr: Under the terms of the pay agreement between the trade unions and local authority employers in 2001, chief officers will receive an increase of 2% and manual workers 4% with effect from 1 April 2003.

Public Transport

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit more funding to support public transport projects in Glasgow than that announced for Edinburgh.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of good public transport services in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and supports projects where need and value for money are demonstrated.

Rail Network

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE5565/2002 of 21 March 2002, why the works announced for the development and enhancement of facilities at Croy Station have yet to begin; what the reasons are for the delay, and what action it has taken to address the situation since the project was announced.

Lewis Macdonald: Delivery of the improved car parking at Croy Station announced in March 2002 is a matter for Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority.

  I understand that the contract for this work has now been awarded, and site clearance is due to start this month.

Rail Services

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet English, Welsh and Scottish Railway and what issues will be discussed.

Lewis Macdonald: My officials meet representatives of the rail industry in Scotland including EWS on a regular basis, to discuss a wide range of issues. The date of their next meeting with EWS has not yet been set.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has, and its executive agencies and non-departmental bodies (NDPBs) have, invested in the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company in each year since the company was established.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Investments by the Scottish Executive and Communities Scotland in the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company are outlined in the table.

  Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company (PPRC) provides the support team for the Paisley Partnership. The table shows the allocations to PPRC in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 for support costs for the former Paisley PPA.

  Since 2001-02 support costs have been included within the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund allocation for the Paisley Partnership and paid directly to Renfrewshire Council as the accountable body for the Paisley SIP.

  

 

£ 
  



1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  

2002-03 
  



Scottish Executive 
  
 

100,0001


120,000 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Scottish Homes/Communities Scotland 
  

25,000 
  

64,6002


- 
  

40,000 
  

40,000 
  



  Notes:

  1. Legacy funding for the Ferguslie Park Partnership support.

  2. Includes £39,600 for consultancy fees.

  In relation to contributions from NDPBs this information is not held centrally.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for what purposes it, and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, invested money in the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Since it’s inception in 1998 the primary focus of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company (PPRC) has been around three objectives. These are to:

  service, administer, and support the Paisley Partnership and it’s objectives;

  deliver the training and employment strategy of the Paisley Partnership, and

  promote and market the Paisley Partnership.

  The purpose of any investment in PPRC by the Executive, its agencies, and non-departmental public bodies would therefore be in support of these objectives.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategic objectives and operational targets it, and its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, set for the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company provides the support team for the Paisley Partnership, and as such its strategic objectives and operational targets flow from the priorities of the partnership itself. In relation to the strategic objectives of the Paisley Partnership specifically, these are not set by the Executive or Communities Scotland centrally. Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) across Scotland are expected to formulate and implement their own strategies locally, based on their understanding of the particular needs of their own community. As a partner on the Paisley Partnership, Communities Scotland would be expected to contribute to the process of formulating and implementing SIP strategy in that area. This would also apply to any non-departmental public bodies on the SIP board.

  In relation to operational targets, this would be a matter for the Paisley Partnership and Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company with, as above, no central role for either Communities Scotland and the Executive, but with a local input as partners on the SIP.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all audits and any other reports relating to the financial and operational management of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Renfrewshire Council are in the process of compiling a finalised report into the operation of this company. This report, when complete, will be passed on to Communities Scotland who will take any further steps necessary at that time.

  There are no plans at present to place all audits and reports relating to the financial management of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what terms and conditions, including non-disclosure agreements, have been attached to any pay-off packages awarded to senior management staff of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company and what contribution it, and its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, made to any such packages.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company is a private company limited by guarantee. As such, issues relating to the terms and conditions of employment of their staff or former staff are a confidential matter between the company and its staff.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or any of its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, plan to request a police inquiry into the financial affairs of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  There are no plans at present to request a police enquiry into the financial affairs of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company. Renfrewshire Council are in the process of compiling a report into the operation of this company. This report, when complete, will be passed on to Communities Scotland who will take any further steps necessary at that time.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value is of consultancy work commissioned by, or for, the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company paid for, directly or indirectly, by the Executive, what the remit of any such consultancy was, and what outcomes have been achieved.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The value of consultancy work, the remit of such work and the outcomes achieved by it are matters currently under consideration by Renfrewshire Council as part of the financial health check they are carrying out in relation to Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company. Renfrewshire Council are in the process of compiling a report into the operation of this company. This report, when complete, will be passed on to Communities Scotland who will take any further steps necessary at that time.

Regeneration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) it was and (b) each of its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies were advised of any financial irregularities in the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company and, if so, when.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Towards the end of last year Communities Scotland were advised by Renfrewshire Council of its intention to carry out a financial health check in relation to the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company. This report, when complete, will be passed on to Communities Scotland who will take any further steps necessary at that time.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the school closures planned by Dumfries and Galloway Council as part of its public private partnership bid are consistent with the Executive's rural development strategies.

Cathy Jamieson: It is for Dumfries and Galloway Council to consider what pattern of school provision is appropriate in their area and, in doing so, to take into account all relevant considerations, including rural development issues.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the policy and financial management review (PFMR) of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Allan Wilson: The review has been completed and I am publishing its report today. Copies of the report are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26789).

  I am delighted that the PFMR has concluded that, on the whole, SEPA is performing its duties well. But I want SEPA to do better still and I welcome the recommendations set out in this report as a means of helping it to do so.

  The First Minister outlined his commitment to environmental justice last year. The recommendations in the report will contribute towards delivering that objective in two ways. They will enable SEPA to improve the quality of environment protection that it provides to communities across Scotland and to respond more effectively to major environment protection challenges, such as tackling diffuse pollution and improving Scotland's performance in waste management. Just as importantly, they will ensure that SEPA becomes more responsive to the communities that it serves, by equipping it to engage more effectively with those who live and work in those communities.

  I have asked SEPA and my officials to complete by the end of July a plan for implementing the recommendations in the report.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of printing, publishing and distributing its annual report, Appointments to Non-Departmental Public Bodies in Scotland .

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive’s annual report on Appointments to Scottish Public Bodies is published in accordance with the recommendations of the First Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life . The total cost of printing, publishing and distributing the report was £2623.48 (incl. VAT).

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in carrying out the second stage of the policy and financial management review of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Nicol Stephen: The second, and final, stage of the Policy and Financial Management Review of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has now been completed and I have placed copies of the steering group’s report in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26920). I have also written to the Convenors of the Education Culture and Sport Committee and the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee with copies of the report. The report has been posted on the Scottish Executive and SQA’s websites. The report includes recommendations, some of which have already been implemented and many of which are currently in the process of implementation, and my officials will monitor progress to ensure that target dates are met.

Social Inclusion

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Social Inclusion Partnership projects operating in Glasgow were closed down in each of the last four years.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Two Social Inclusion Partnership projects operating in Glasgow have closed down in the last four years: one in 2001-02 and one in 2002-03.

Student Finance

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to alleviate student debt.

Iain Gray: Under the new student support arrangements, introduced in 2001-02, students from the lowest income families will have up to £2,050 each year in the form of a non-repayable bursary. This will mean that these students will graduate from a four-year course with up to approximately £4,000 less debt than they would have had under the previous system.

  We are also providing more additional support to those students who need it most, such as students who have dependent children, particularly students who are lone parents, and young students for low income families who study elsewhere in the UK.

Substance Misuse

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist the families of those suffering from substance abuse.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We issued on 26 February Getting Our Priorities Right – Good Practice Guidelines for working with Children and Families Affected by Substance Misuse. This guidance, coupled with the resources already provided through initiatives such as the Changing Children’s Service Fund, Surestart and Social Inclusion Partnerships, allied to training offered by Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol, will do much to improve the lives of children affected by substance misuse.

  The Executive’s Effective Interventions Unit published a review of family support in November 2002 which is designed to help Drug Action Teams and their partner agencies to develop more effective ways to support the needs of families and carers.

  We are also assisting family members coping with drug misuse to set up a national network of family support groups. £180,000, recovered from criminal assets, will be used to support the work of the network, once it has been established.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-29129 on 26 September 2002, whether the legal advice referred to is still applicable and how disclosure of the documents identified could prejudice such action.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-29131 on 26 September 2002, when Shepherd and Wedderburn WS was first invited to provide legal advice on prospects of recovery of losses from Flour City International Inc and on what date, or dates, advice was provided by Shepherd and Wedderburn WS on this matter.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether Shepherd and Wedderburn WS has been invited to provide legal advice on whether any or all of the losses relating to Flour City International Inc can be recovered from (a) the Construction Manager or (b) any other member of the Holyrood Project Team.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-26071 on 30 May 2002, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will now state which of the companies on the short leet (a) did not submit a tender bid and (b) submitted a bid that did not comply with the tender documentation, and why each such bid did not comply.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-26072 on 30 May 2002, whether, prior to the award of the second interim contract to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) in January 2001, the (a) design team, (b) architects, (c) cost consultant, (d) structural engineers and (e) service engineer (i) requested an analysis of, or report on, or any other information in respect of, the tender or revised tender submitted by FCAM, (ii) expressed any view in respect of FCAM and, in particular, the company's ability to fulfil any obligations incurred in relation to the granting of a works package or contract to it, (iii) made any other comments in relation to FCAM; whether, in each case, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will place copies of any such documentation in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), and whether it will place in SPICe any analysis and/or report that, as referred to in the answer to question S1W-26072, was previously commercially confidential, and, if it will not, what the reasons are for the position on this matter and, in particular, any reasons why such information remains commercially confidential.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 17 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will give an up-to-date estimate of the total direct additional costs arising after termination of the contract with Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd; in particular, whether current estimates of these costs exceed £3.85 million, and whether there is any allowance for consequential costs associated with the impact of delay in completion of the cladding and windows package and, if so, whether full details of any such allowance will be provided.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the total cost of bomb proofing in relation to the Holyrood project has been, broken down by works package; what the original estimate of this cost was in respect of each package; whether any provision for bomb proofing was made in each contract when it was awarded and, if so, whether details of each such provision will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, and what the reasons are for any extra costs incurred in each case.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what information the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has received about (a) whether Flour City International Inc (FCII) is still trading, (b) when the shares of FCII ceased to be listed for trading on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation stock market and (c) whether these shares are still being traded and, if so, on what market and whether the SPCB will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all information that it has received in connection with the finances of (a) FCII and (b) Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-12638 on 2 February 2001, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body's position in relation to commercial confidentiality has changed and, if so, what the reasons are for its position on this matter; what contractors (a) have and (b) have not been consulted in relation to releasing individual contract details, and whether all such details may now be released.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-12272 on 25 January 2001, which of the works package contracts let in relation to the Holyrood Project remain uncompleted; whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide full details of each such package; what the (a) original and (b) revised completion date is in each case, and what the (i) original estimate was and (ii) current best estimate of cost is in respect of each such contract.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-12278 on 22 January 2001, whether all of the works packages in respect of the Holyrood Project have now been awarded; whether all information concerning the value of contracts let will now be put into the public domain, given that the Convenor of the Holyrood Progress Group stated that, in principle and with the agreement of the contractors involved, such information should be put into the public domain; which contractors have refused to permit such information to be placed in the public domain; what the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body's current position is in respect of the statement made in the answer that "the position should ease in the very near future and wherever possible this information will be reported to MSPs as soon as is practicable", and whether that undertaking applies to information in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the total cost has been of timber purchased in relation to the Holyrood project, broken down by supplier and works package and, of that total, how much has been supplied from (a) timber grown in Scotland and (b) timber grown outwith Scotland but supplied by companies based in Scotland.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-10162 on 24 October 2002, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body considers that it remains the case that, on the basis of price and quality, Bovis was the best candidate for the commission of the Holyrood project.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-10163 on 24 October 2000, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body remains of the view that the appointment of Bovis as construction manager for the Holyrood project was undertaken properly and in full compliance with the existing EU regulations and whether any lower bids were received and, if so, from whom and for what amounts.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the his answer to question S1W-9543 on 21 September 2000, what the total fees for cost consultants for the Holyrood project (a) were projected to be at inception of the project and (b) are at the current date.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-9466 on 19 September 2000 about the degree of detail on estimates and costs in respect of the Holyrood project that can be divulged to MSPs and in the light of developments subsequent to the answer being given, whether more detailed information should be provided; if so, what further information should be provided; whether it is in the public interest that more detailed information be provided; whether public interest in the information outweighs any disadvantages of disclosing it, and whether the information given by the Holyrood Progress Group in its newsletters is impartial, complete and accurate.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-9467 on 19 September 2000, whether the matter of the financial costs of the new Parliament building at Holyrood is of greater controversy than it was in March 2000; whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will now provide to the public all available financial information; what the reasons are for the position on this matter in the light of the position given in the answer to question S1W-9467; whether it will continue to be the position that documents in relation to the package awarded to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will not be disclosed; if so, whether the SPCB will review this position and what the reasons are for the position on this matter, and, if such reasons relate to potential prejudice to any legal action, how any such action could be prejudiced or damaged by such disclosure, given that the legal liability will already have been set and cannot be in any way altered by such disclosure.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-8962 on 21 August 2000, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will give in relation to each works package for the Holyrood project and in tabular form, (a) the identity of the contractor, (b) the actual, or projected, date of (i) contract award, (ii) site start and (iii) completion, (c) the original estimated (1) cost and (2) value of the contract and the increase in each such figure and (d) the current total estimate and, in respect of any packages for which there is no estimated completion date, what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-5674 on 13 April 2000, how much VAT is currently expected to be paid in total to Her Majesty’s Treasury from the Holyrood project and what proportion of the overall costs of the project this sum represents, showing the estimates given in the answer to question S1W-5674 as comparative figures.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-23571 on 13 March 2002, whether the cost of completing design services that Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd was under contract to provide but did not complete has now been ascertained and, if so, what the current estimated total cost is of such works and services; whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide a breakdown of this estimate, and what the reasons are for any variance between the current estimated total cost and the original estimate of £117,500.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-22306 on 31 January 2002, whether copies of the Letter of Intent and formal contract with Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will now be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; if they will not, what the reasons are for the position on this matter; if the reasons are that the letter and contract are commercially confidential, on what grounds this conclusion is based; in particular, whether potential prejudicing of any future court action against Flour City International Inc is one such ground and, if so, how disclosing the letter and contract could prejudice any such action, and, if there are other reasons for not disclosing these documents, what they are in detail.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether all documents previously requested in written parliamentary questions in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM), Flour City International Inc and the Flour City group of companies generally and their involvement with (a) the Holyrood project works package awarded to FCAM and (b) works packages for which they submitted bids will now be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will meet the Scottish Information Commissioner to discuss releasing into the public domain all information in relation to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and its parent company and their involvement with the Holyrood project and what the reasons are for the SPCB's position on this matter.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21898 on 24 January 2002, whether it is still the position that there was no available published credit reference for Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd before the contract was awarded to the company; if this is no longer the position, on what date any such reference became available, and whether it was available before the award of the first letter of intent in December 2000.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether Bovis Lend Lease (BLL) sought a credit reference in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) and, if so, on what date or dates it did so; whether BLL sought information relating to county court judgements in England and, if not, what the cost of such a request would have been, and whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has since obtained any information about the creditworthiness of FCAM and/or Flour City International Inc and, if so, whether (a) the letter, letters or any other documents seeking or requesting such information, (b) the replies received in respect of such letters or documents and (c) any memos or other documentary evidence or verbal evidence received in relation to them will be published.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21898 on 24 January 2002, whether the information obtained by Bovis Lend Lease in respect of Flour City International Inc, including the Highlights of Financial Summary 1994-98, Condensed Balance Sheet 1997-98, Condensed Statement of Income 1997-98 and Condensed Statement of Cashflow 1996-98, will now be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) and why such information has not already been placed in SPICe.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer which were the most recent quarterly accounts of Flour City International Inc received by the construction managers of the Holyrood project before the recommendation that Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd be awarded the contract for MSP block windows and cladding was made, and whether the construction managers disclosed, explained or otherwise gave advice on any information relating to such accounts to any other party and, in particular, to (i) other members of the Holyrood project management team, (ii) the Holyrood Progress Group and (iii) the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and, if so, to whom, and when, they did so.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21634 on 22 January 2002, whether the summaries given in the Holyrood Progress Group's newsletters of the group's question and answer sessions have been (a) accurate, (b) impartial and (c) complete and what plans it has for such summaries in future to be prepared by the Parliament's official reporters to ensure accuracy, impartiality and completeness.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21635 on 22 January 2002, whether the construction managers of the Holyrood project hold any information on the amounts due to sub-contractors of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and, in particular, on any claims in respect of unpaid debts owing to said sub-contractors and, if so, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will obtain such information and place it in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether there was any regular arrangement for meetings between representatives of Bovis Lend Lease and Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) about the progress of FCAM in relation to fulfilling its obligations under the works package awarded to it; on what dates any such meetings took place or were due to take place, and whether any minutes of, or other documents showing the matters discussed at, such meetings will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21636 on 22 January 2002, what contractors other than Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd have used the Holyrood site as their business address.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether companies based in Scotland that expressed an interest in obtaining works packages, or a part thereof, in respect of the Holyrood project were treated fairly and properly; whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has been kept fully aware of all potential involvement by Scottish companies, and whether the SPCB will now carry out a review in respect of these matters.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-18874 on 12 October 2001, whether any further work has been carried out by other contractors on (a) work initially carried out by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) and (b) design and specialist cladding services provided by FCAM and, if so, whether he will give full details of (i) the services provided and (ii) the total cost of such services.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer which works package contracts let in relation to the Holyrood project have (a) been completed and (b) not been completed and what the reasons are for any such contracts not having been completed; what the (i) original estimated cost was and (ii) current estimated cost is of any uncompleted contracts, and what the estimated date of completion is of each such contract.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraphs 6 and 7 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , when the advert or adverts were placed for the tender of the cladding and windows package for the MSP block of the Holyrood project; whether copies of such adverts will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, and on what date, and by what means, the two bids received in respect of this package were submitted.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 14 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , when the construction managers were first alerted by any member, employee or representative of the Bovis group of companies to any problems and difficulties in respect of the Canary Wharf project that was undertaken by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) and terminated in August 2001; whether information received in respect of this matter was passed on to any member of the Holyrood project team, the Holyrood Progress Group or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and, if so, on what date, and whether, prior to award of the contract, references were received from any other member of the Bovis group and, if so, from which member and in respect of which other contracts undertaken by FCAM or any other member of the Flour City International group of companies.

Sir David Steel: [ pursuant to his reply, 12 February 2003, page 2972; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/wa-03/wa0212.htm ] :  Pursuant to my answer of 12 February 2003. I have written to the member and placed a copy of my letter in the Parliament's Information Centre (Bib. number 26936).

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 20 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , in respect of which aspects of awarding and managing the Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd contract the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body did not obtain its own legal advice and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 22 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , why Holyrood project management did not obtain advice from the Parliament’s legal directorate prior to issuing the interim contracts to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 22 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , when the request for a parent company guarantee under the second interim contract issued to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd in January 2001 was first made; what legal advice it has received about whether such a request could be made on demand, and why the request was not made at the outset.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, with regard to paragraph 25 of The 2001/02 Audit of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by the Auditor General for Scotland , from whom Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd (FCAM) sought an advance payment of £2 million; who made the request on behalf of FCAM; by whom it was received on behalf of the construction managers, and whether the construction managers advised (a) any other member of the Holyrood project team, (b) the Holyrood Progress Group and (c) the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body that the request had been made and, if so, whether they did so before the second interim contract was awarded and on what date such information was first conveyed by the construction managers.

Sir David Steel: [ pursuant to his reply, 26 February 2003, page 3092; http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/wa-03/wa0226.htm ] :  Pursuant to my answer of 26 February 2003. I have written to the member and placed a copy of my letter in the Parliament's Information Centre (Bib. number 26936).

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the project control methodology used for the overall management of the Holyrood project is Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE), PRINCE2, another government-approved methodology or a non-government approved methodology.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what project management software is used to record planned tasks, milestones, achievements, resources and costs for the Holyrood project.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer which reports generated by the Holyrood project's management software are (a) used by the Holyrood Progress Group (HPG) in exercising its oversight role, (b) used by the project managers in the preparation of reports to the HPG and (c) used by the project managers.

Sir David Steel: I understand that Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Ltd, (BLL)) the Construction Managers for the Holyrood Project use Primavera and Power Project as their project management software. Based on the output from this software, BLL prepare fortnightly reports on programme for both the Holyrood Project Team and the Holyrood Progress Group .

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Holyrood project is operating under ISO 9001, equivalent EU standards for quality management systems or any other recognised standards and, if the project is not operating under any of these standards, what other quality management systems standards are being used.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliament does not operate under any specific quality assurance accreditation but rather follows corporate quality assurance guarantees. The Holyrood project works within the criteria set by corporate quality standards.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the members of the Holyrood Progress Group have had any briefing or training in how to manage project managers or on any aspect of project management.

Sir David Steel: It is not the responsibility of the Holyrood Progress Group (HPG) to manage project managers. The "construction management" method of procurement adopted for the new Parliament building project is a relatively new adaptation of more traditional procurement methods used in the UK construction industry. The method requires the Construction Manager, appointed on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, to put a framework in place for managing the construction process. The HPG, however, does include among its members two independent professional advisers, both of whom bring extensive experience of delivering major building projects.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many of the members of the Holyrood project management team are trained in project management and what training they received.

Sir David Steel: The Holyrood Project Team employs eight professionals from a range of project management backgrounds, all with relevant qualifications, experience and a variety of individual specialist and necessary skills to assist in the completion of the project. In addition two non-professional administrative team members have formal training in project management.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what matrix of authority is used to determine the relationship between the seniority of personnel working on the Holyrood project and their authority to make commitments of money and other resources and to define the reporting of the exercise of that authority.

Sir David Steel: A full scheme of delegated authorities, both functional and financial, is in place for the Holyrood project. This covers, inter alia , the levels at which resources can be committed and expenditure incurred. The exercise of these authorities is monitored as part of day-to-day management and by both internal and external audit.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Holyrood Project Team undertook any additional research to provide responses to any enquiries regarding project management aspects of the Holyrood project or whether such responses were provided by utilising existing reporting and management systems.

Sir David Steel: The Holyrood Project Team regularly responds to a considerable number of enquiries regarding the Holyrood project. Some of these enquiries can readily be answered by drawing on material in existing reports and others can only be dealt with by carrying out additional research.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many cost accountants are employed on the Holyrood project.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body employs Davis Langdon & Everest, (DLE) as its independent cost consultant on the Holyrood project.

Holyrood Project

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what (a) independent and (b) external review processes there are for the Holyrood project.

Sir David Steel: The Auditor General for Scotland provides the only fully independent and external review process for the Holyrood project. However, management actions are also subject to review by the Holyrood Progress Group which includes two independent and external professional members.